Agenda Item #13.5
For Council Meeting of: May 6, 2025
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: DONTE WATSON, DIRECTOR RECREATION AND PARKS
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE COUNTY OF SONOMA PROBATION DEPARTMENT FOR EXTENSION OF THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION PARTNERSHIP’S GUIDING PEOPLE SUCCESSFULLY PROGRAM AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Recreation and Parks Department, Violence Prevention Partnership, that the Council, by resolution: 1) approve the Memorandum of Understanding with the County of Sonoma Probation Department for extension of the Santa Rosa Violence Prevention Partnership’s Guiding People Successfully Program through June 30, 2028; 2) authorize the City Manager or designee to approve and execute any amendments thereto, subject to approval as to form by the City Attorney; 3) increase appropriations to the amount of $160,000 per fiscal year, totaling $480,000; and 4) approve a limited term 1.0 Community Outreach Specialist for the term of July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Since 2018, the County of Sonoma Probation Department (Probation) has partnered with the Santa Rosa Violence Prevention Partnership to fund the 1.0 FTE Limited Term Community Outreach Specialist (Wraparound Coordinator) to coordinate the Guiding People Successfully Program. Probation has committed to continue funding the current program and staffing level for the period of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028. The agreement has been formalized in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in the amount of $160,000 per fiscal year, totaling $480,000. This MOU will provide full funding for the Wraparound Coordinator’s salary and benefits. This item supports the Santa Rosa City Council’s Goal Three, Create an Environment that Supports Staff and Operational Excellence to deliver outstanding services to the community and Goal Seven, Foster a Safe, Healthy, and Inclusive Community to promote public safety.
BACKGROUND
The Guiding People Successfully (GPS) Program, administered by the Santa Rosa Violence Prevention Partnership (The Partnership), provides a coordinated approach to identifying youth who are at risk of gang involvement and connecting them to a network of services designed to identify alternatives and redirect behavior. The Partnership uses a Trauma-Informed Care framework as a model for implementing the wraparound service delivery approach to GPS.
The core elements of GPS are 1) centralized intake; 2) referrals to community-based organizations, including all Community Helping Our Indispensable Children Excel (CHOICE) grantees, who provide a variety of social services, including prevention and intervention services, and pro-social activities to youth and families by creating safe and healthy communities; 3) case management through a monthly meeting of The Partnership’s Operational Team; and 4) use of a data management system to track outcomes and facilitate shared assessments.
The California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) initially funded the GPS Program from January 2015 to December 2017, which included funding of a Limited Term Community Outreach Specialist (Wraparound Coordinator). On August 8, 2017, with support of the Measure O Citizen Oversight Committee, the Santa Rosa City Council approved use of Measure O funds to support the position from January 1, 2018, through June 30, 2018, to allow time for staff to identify an alternative funding source.
The County of Sonoma’s Probation Department has been an active member of The Partnership’s Operational Team and has experienced firsthand the value of the GPS Program. In 2018, Probation committed to fund The Partnership’s Wraparound Coordinator position for the period of July 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019, by executing a MOU with the Santa Rosa Violence Prevention Partnership. Probation executed additional MOUs with the Partnership to fund the Wraparound Coordinator position for the periods of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021, July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022, and July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
On June 5, 2018, the City Council, by Resolution No. 2018-087, approved the first MOU with the County of Sonoma Probation Department for the term of July 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019.
On June 23, 2020, the City Council, by Resolution No. 2020-104, approved the extension of the 1.0 FTE Limited Term Community Outreach Specialist until June 30, 2021.
On June 8, 2021, the City Council, by Resolution No. 2021-095, approved the MOU with the County of Sonoma Probation Department for the term of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022.
On November 29, 2022, the City Council, by Resolution No. 2022-225, approved the MOU with the County of Sonoma Probation Department for the term of July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025.
ANALYSIS
Probation has committed to fund the current GPS program and staffing level through June 30, 2028. The agreement has been formalized in a MOU in the amount of $160,000 per fiscal year, totaling $480,000. Execution of this MOU will provide full funding of salary and benefits for the Wraparound Coordinator position.
FISCAL IMPACT
Execution of this MOU will provide reimbursement revenue of $160,000 per fiscal year to offset the cost of continuing the GPS Program, including staff salary and benefits, through June 30, 2028, to the JL Key Account 09771.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The Santa Rosa City Council finds that pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, the proposed action is not a “project” subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it does not have a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. In the alternative, the proposed action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the project may have a significant effect on the environment.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution / Exhibit A - Memorandum of Understanding
PRESENTER
Danielle Garduño, Violence Prevention Program Manager
APPROVAL OF MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE COUNTY OF SONOMA DEPARTMENT OF PROBATION FOR EXTENSION OF THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION PARTNERSHIP’S GUIDING PEOPLE SUCCESSFULLY PROGRAM PAGE 3 OF 3